Pune crime: Man arrested in army recruitment racket

Jul 04, 2014, 08:21 IST
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Salil Urunkar

The 40-year-old accused Sandeep Balwant Gurav has duped several young men to the tune of R58.5 lakh, on the pretext of recruiting them in the army

Anti-Extortion Cell of Crime Branch has arrested 40-year-old Sandeep Balwant Gurav from Kolhapur, who has allegedly duped several young men in Kolhapur and Sangli area, to the tune of R58.5 lakh, on the pretext of recruiting them in the army. According to the complaint filed, Gurav posed as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and issued fake selection letters to the men, bearing the stamp of Bombay Engineering Group.

According to a senior police officer from the crime branch, the AEC sleuths were informed about the case after the victims met Home Minister RR Patil. File pic

21-year-old Harshavardhan Shrikant Bhosale from Kavathe-Mahankal lodged the complaint against Gurav at Khadki police station on Tuesday.

According to a senior police officer from the crime branch, the AEC sleuths were informed about the case after the victims met Home Minister RR Patil on Tuesday and informed him about the cheating incident.

A case was immediately registered, and within 36 hours, Gurav was traced and nabbed by the Crime Branch team.

The victims also claimed that one female sub-inspector was also involved in the recruitment racket. Speaking to mid-day, Police Inspector (AEC), Anil Patil, said, “The concerned PSI is on leave right now. We will conduct an inquiry about the allegations against the female sub-inspector involved.”

Gurav has been charged under sections 420 (cheating), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document) and 472 (Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery) of the Indian Penal Code.

Gurav’s Modus OperandiAccording to the complaint filed by Bhosle, Gurav was introduced to him by one Suresh Bhosle, owner of Sujit Dresses in Kavathe-Mahankal area, in November 2013.

Their meeting took place at the military canteen in Kolhapur. The accused had asked Bhosle to pay him R25,000 at the time of the physical test and another R25,000 later. The complainant and three of his friends gave Gurav R1 lakh after the first meeting.

Gurav later called Bhosle and his friends to Khadki Military Hospital in Pune and in December 2013, they were again called to the city for their medical test. They were asked to fill up a form, after which Gurav took the remaining Rs 25,000 from them.

Later, Bhosle also introduced him to around 20 friends from whom Gurav took around one to two lakh rupees and gave them fake selection letters on June 9, 2014.

On June 28, Bhosle and his friends came to Bombay Engineering Group in Dapodi with their fake selection letter, however Gurav was avoiding them. When the group went to the reception and showed their letters the staff told them that the letters were faked and asked them to file a complaint with the police.